‘I don't know what it is to be able to read’: how students with dyslexia experience their reading impairment

Better understanding of the diverse reading abilities of people with dyslexia is necessary for the design of more effective learning situations, which are vital both to students with dyslexia and to their teachers. Seven individuals with dyslexia currently or formerly in higher education were interviewed about their reading experiences to learn how they themselves understand and describe their reading. The interviews are treated as individual profiles. Although the respondents were adult experienced readers, aware of their impairments, none could identify any strategy for overcoming dyslexia other than investing much time in homework and study. Each profile is unique, yet they share some characteristics, including strong parental support and a refusal to accept the label of ‘stupid’. Teachers need to recognise the diverse effects of dyslexia in order to improve the chances of dyslexic students – especially those who cannot rely upon strong parental support – of continuing to higher education.